Great Grandma's Greek Meatballs

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My favorite recipes are the ones that have been passed down for generations. That is exactly what my Great Grandma's Greek meatballs are!

Great Grandma's Greek meatballs

Some of the best recipes I have ever used are the ones that have been passed down through generations like a prized heirloom.  These meatballs from my Great Grandma is one of those recipes.  I have countless memories of making these with my mom and my grandma.  We would always make a massive batch of them so we had enough to keep in the freezer for months on end.  And we would always smell like a meatball for days afterwards!

One thing I find hilarious about this recipe, is that my family is not Greek at all!  My Great Grandma came from Norway to Canada when she was young.  At the time, she did not know how to speak very well and she befriended the Greek family down the street.  She learned how to make these meatballs from that family.  They have been a staple in my family's diet ever since!

Great Grandma's Greek meatballs

How to Make My Great Grandma's Greek Meatballs

While the full recipe instructions are available below, here are some tips to make my family's traditional recipe!

  • Let your ground meat and eggs come to room temperature.  Since you will be mixing the ingredients for the meatballs by hand, it can get very cold.  This will help to make the mixing process as comfortable as possible.
  • Use a light and fluffy bread for these meatballs.  We usually use a loaf of white bread which works very well!
  • While the traditional recipe calls for medium ground beef, you can lighten it up with a lighter ground beef.  Your meatballs will not taste as rich, but they also have less fat.
  • Be sure to dress in clothes that you are not planning to wear the next day, as they will smell like meatballs.  Also be sure to have a glass of wine while making these to fully savor the experience!
Great Grandma's Greek meatballs

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Great Grandma's Greek Meatballs

My favorite recipes are the ones that have been passed down for generations. That is exactly what my Great Grandma’s Greek meatballs are!

Author:
Kirsten
Servings:
12
Prep Time:
30
Cooking Time:
45

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter, plus more for browning the meatballs
  • 5 small onions, chopped fine
  • 7 garlic cloves, chopped fine
  • 6 lb ground beef
  • 12 slices white bread
  • 8 tsp dried oregano
  • 4 tsp salt
  • 3 tsp pepper
  • 6 eggs

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add butter, onions and garlic.  Sauté until the onions start to turn brown, but be sure not to char the edges.  Approximately 10 minutes.  Set aside to let cool.
  2. Soften the white bread in water and squeeze out excess.  Rip each slice into small pieces and place into a large mixing bowl.  Add to the same bowl the rest of the ingredients, including the browned onion and garlic.  Mix all of the ingredients until well combined.  Shape into small balls, approximately the size of a walnut or golf balls.  
  3. Brown the meatballs in butter in a skillet until cooked through.  Work in batches as space in the skillet allows.  Enjoy!

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